Woman Arrested While in Labor Sues Police
A Jacksonville, Florida mother has been given a green light to sue local police after they first tackled her and then arrested her for running a red light on her way to the ER. She was in premature labor.
When Melanie Williams, then seven months pregnant, started bleeding and feeling faint, she called 911 and asked for help. That call was lost, so Williams hopped in her car and sped off to the hospital. On her way, she ran a red light.
Police pulled her over, but Williams told them that she was sick and took off. They chased her, ultimately tackling her (according to her sister) inside the ER while she screamed, “I’m pregnant. Someone help me. I am bleeding.” They then took her back outside to a squad car, where she was ultimately saved by an ER nurse who saw that she was in medical distress and insisted she be brought back inside.
This happened in 2005. Williams gave birth to her son 10 days later. Four years later, she’s still fighting in court, insisting the police were wrong to arrest her. Yesterday, an appeals court decided that the case should indeed go to trial, calling the police officer’s behavior “reprehensible.”
Watch the video from the ER security camera and decide for yourself.
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Photo: Penny Mathews, sxc.hu
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Tags: arrest, crime, ER, florida, jacksonville, labor, police, pregnancy, premature labor, woman
8 Comments
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Nov 13 09 at 2:51 pmI wish I had a nickel for every time my wild guess was exactly what I saw in the video. Or maybe I should upgrade that to educated guess…
Ronald Contoi commented on Nov 13 09 at 6:59 pmObviously, this brave police officer was just protecting us from this out-of-control pregnant woman.
This criminal should be thankful that she, and her baby, were not tazered.She really had it coming too, for disobeying a police officer, and putting the life of her unborn child before the fragile ego of that pathetic man-child with a badge.
Welcome toAmericaWhereyouWillBeRippedOff commented on Nov 14 09 at 10:01 amOnly in the USA. I swear this place is turning into a freaking Horror movie. Welcome to the USA where if you do not get ripped off daily you will be arrested by the Police for things like this. If you are a tiny 90 rear old grandmother your age or size will not deter a 6′ plus Police from using a stun gun on you… just check youtube.
Lindsay commented on Nov 14 09 at 12:49 pmI hate to play the race card, but do you think that the officers would’ve believed her if she was white?
Shawn commented on Nov 14 09 at 1:53 pmJail time for cops please. There is something seriously wrong in Florida, water? Air? I don’t know but they all have lost any IQ points enough to function with reason. Stupes!!!
Manjari commented on Nov 16 09 at 8:38 amLindsay, yes I do think they would have believed, or at least NOT tackled, a white woman.
That cop is a real douchebag.
Rene commented on Nov 17 09 at 3:36 pmok, I know that she’s pregnant and she was in a panic about the baby, but she was acting like a crazy person. She ran the redlight, showing a disreguard for law, then she RAN FROM THE POLICE.
She should have taken a minute to explain to the cop what was happening and not just speed off after giving the police a rather stupid “I’m sick”. Then at the ER, again she didn’t stop, gave no explanation, just took off into the ER KNOWING the police were following her.Look at it for a minute from the cops perspective. A car is speeding (i’m sure) and ran a redlight. You pull it over, it’s a woman, looks pregnant ( but the panic in her eyes would make her look a little crazy, or drugged up or something) She says “I’m sick” and takes off. Now what does I’m sick mean? I’m sure the officer did not think the baby is coming early… perhaps he thought she meant mentally.. especially after she took off, because that is not what a sane person does.
So she pulls up to the ER, and starts running in. Well, you stop her and you stop her as you can, using minimum force, because she isn’t answering you and she WILL NOT STOP. So you tackle her she says I’m pregnant, help I’m bleeding.. Do you BELIEVE her? After being all up on adrenaline? No. that’s just a line she’s using to get away. You don’t know WHATS going on, other than this crazy woman is up to something. So you take her to the car and start processes.
The ER nurse did the right thing and I commend her for it, but so did the cop.
Alicia commented on Dec 01 09 at 6:50 pmFrom experience I know that cops don’t give two shits if it’s a medical emergency that’s causing someone to speed/go through red lights, etc. This summer my son managed to get a hold of some motion sickness pills, and ate 5 of them. I got him into the car and raced off to the ER (which was faster than waiting for an ambulance that had to come from the next town). I got pulled over for speeding, and as soon as the cop came to my car window I told him exactly what was happening. He refused to let me go, and forced me to wait for an ambulance. Luckily my son was fine in the end, but what if he wasn’t? You can be assured I would’ve sued his ass for wasted time that could’ve helped my son.
Cops can become ego-maniacs so quickly when they have their badge. A simple assessment of the situation would’ve shown them that she and her child were in danger, and that she wasn’t actually a danger to anyone. But they got pissed because someone didn’t do what they wanted, so they took it out on her.
I hope she wins!
